Saudi Arabia (Khaled Almobty and Jaguar King WDMeshari Alharbi et Hi ThereRamzy Al Duhami et Untouchable 32Abdullah Alsharbatly et Ermindo W) will have managed to keep his little 4 point scooped in the first round until the end. With four clear rounds in the second round, they were certain to come away with victory. This is done with the last route completed by Abdullah Alsharbatly in the saddle on Ermindo W! A first victory for the Saudi team in Rabat for the team led by David Will.
In second place, Italy only counted on a small penalty point at the end of the first round (for 0.5 seconds too long in the course of Emanuele Gaudiano (Chalou’s Love PS)!), but the track conditions got the better of the team, which added 8 points to the final score, finishing 9 points behind. Third place was played out between Belgium and Switzerland, the only two Nations exempting points in the first round and therefore starting penultimate and last in the second. Unfortunately for the Swiss team, made up of Bryan Balsiger, Eva Gautschi, Dominik Fuhrer and Adrian Schmid, the two nations both finished on 12 points – despite Adrian Schmid’s last clear round (Chicharito 11) -, but Belgium was 6 seconds faster and therefore climbed to the third step of the podium.
The Swiss had to settle for the chocolate medal. And yet the hope was there, since at the end of the first round, the Helvetians were comfortably installed in provisional second place, exempt from any penalty points – the course of Eva Gautschi (Christiane K) penalized by 12 points being erased from the counter thanks to the joker. First in the provisional ranking, Belgium was the only other team to post a goalless score, the 20 points collected by Thierry Goffinet (Landes Derby) not counting.
Bad scenario also in the first round for the Moroccans who were racing at home: The suspense was at its height until approaching the last obstacle, but El Ghali Boukaa (Ugolino du Clos) unfortunately brought down the bar, opening the team’s score to 4 points after two brilliant flawless rounds signed Abdelkebir Ouaddar (Baccarat Meniljean) and Ali Al Arhach (Ike 1348), to the cheers of the public who filled the stands for the occasion. In the second round, they increased their final score to 16 points.
France finishes 5th with 16 points. Spain 6th (also 16 points), Morocco 7th with the same number of points and Brazil 8th with 24 points. Last in the first inning, Ireland did not have the opportunity to run in the second inning.
This Nations Cup thus closes the second stage of the Morocco Royal Tour after Tetouan last week. El Jadida will be the final theater of this Moroccan tour next weekend, indoors. Julie Queloz
